US defense policy chief calls notion of US-less middle power alliance a ‘delusion’

During a speech at the Stratbase Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Makati, Philippines, the US defense policy chief Elbridge Colby harshly criticized the notion of a "middle power alliance" that excludes the US. Colby deemed this idea a "delusion" and "superficial," suggesting it originated in "words and symbols," akin to a "signed piece of paper or a newly formed working group."

Instead, he emphasized that genuine deterrence stems from "fielded hard power and the demonstrated political will to use it." In contrast to the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's call for a strategic alliance of middle powers in January during the Davos World Economic Forum, Colby argued that true deterrence came from "fielded hard power and the demonstrated political will to use it."

He reiterated that the US remains steadfast in its commitment to Asia, denying claims of US withdrawal into isolationism. Colby stressed that the US prioritizes maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on "deterrence by denial along the first island chain." He also urged Asian allies to assume greater responsibility in defense spending and establish stronger military industries, emphasizing that sustainable alliances should be based on "shared responsibility" and "underwritten by real capability on both sides."